


A Helping Paw

by Chie (Chierafied)



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dogs, Drabble, F/M, First Meetings, Meet-Cute, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-21
Packaged: 2019-03-22 04:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13756038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: The right dog in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.





	A Helping Paw

Hachiko the dog was usually a very docile creature. However, she couldn’t fight her natural instincts: if something ran in front of her, she would give chase.

It had been partly Ichigo’s fault. He had been lost in thought and hadn’t seen the cat until the very second Hachiko lunged, yanking the leash from Ichigo’s grip.

Cursing, Ichigo ran after them.

But when both animals took a sharp left and went right through a partially open gate, Ichigo came to a halt.

He glanced at the tall fence surrounding the yard and the house uneasily, before he scowled and squeezed through the gate.

Not wanting to be caught trespassing, he decided to be quick and silent. He started to go around the house, keeping close to the fence.

He still hadn’t seen a hair of Hachiko, when he rounded a corner and stopped dead in his tracks.

There, out in the yard, stood a girl, her bare feet firmly planted on the warm grass as she ran through _kata_ with a wooden practice sword.

Ichigo had just enough time to hope she hadn’t spotted him and take a single step back – and then her eyes met his.

The girl’s eyebrows drew together in a frown and she levelled her _bokken_ at him.

“Who are you? What’re you doing here?”

Ichigo raised his hands, held them palms out in a warding gesture.

“Sorry, but did a dog run through here?”  

“A dog?” she repeated, disbelief clear in her voice. “What dog?”

“Your front gate wasn’t properly secured and my dog ran in, chasing a cat. I’m just trying to find her, I swear.”

One slender eyebrow arched and she started walking over to him.

Ichigo eyed the _bokken_ warily – judging from what he’d seen earlier, the girl knew how to use it.

He kept his hands up, hoping to appear harmless. Easier said than done, when he topped the girl almost by a foot.

“Look, I’m sorry and I will leave right away, but I really need to get my –”

Happy barking interrupted him, seconds before Hachiko suddenly re-appeared right at Ichigo’s feet.

He tripped over her, and knocked the girl over on his way towards the hard ground.  

Suddenly Ichigo found himself looking up close to a pair of resigned violet eyes. The corner of the girl’s lips was twitching.

“I take it you found your dog,” she deadpanned.

“More like she found me,” Ichigo grumbled as he quickly got off her. Face flushing, he offered her a hand.

Hers felt delicate in his, but her grip was strong as he helped her up.

“I’m really sorry. Again.”

Hachiko was panting at them, wagging her tail like crazy.

The girl beckoned Hachiko over, and the dog obliged. The girl gave Hachiko a few tentative strokes, which she immediately rewarded with enthusiastic licks.

She met Ichigo’s eyes over the dog’s head and flashed him a smile that took his breath away. “I might be persuaded to forgive you.”

 

 


End file.
